Enter an era in Hollywood's most classic and stylish period known as film noir that cinematically changed the conventional rules of filmmaking and character definition. When French critic Nino Frank in 1946 coined the phrase, he instantly recognized a new American attitude emerging in the film industry, that resulted from the social upheaval of the Great Depression of the 1930s, the aftermath of World War II in the 1940s, and heavily influenced by German Expressionism. This new attitude translated into dark films with stories about cynical detectives, femme fatales, crime, anti-heroes, greed, obsession, and murder. This distinct and captivating genre is thoroughly analyzed by the author in Film Noir: The Best of the Classics in a series of essays that cover key elements of each important film of that period, including characters, narrative, cinematography, script, actors, directors, producers, and production elements of the soundtrack, editing, flashbacks, intricate plots, morality, locations, camerawork, and lighting. The book covers some of the best classic noirs that embodied the essential components that are timeless and provocative that have kept generations of filmmakers and audiences spellbound for years.